Why are there so few women in the history of photography? Scholarly contributions have highlighted the obstacles that hindered women’s success in photography, as well as the ideological foundations
of photographic history that have kept them invisible within dominant narratives. Despite this, the role of women in photography remains under-researched, particularly on those practitioners active between the invention of the medium around 1839 and the outbreak of World War II in 1939. This international conference aims to give visibility to women in photography during the first century of its history by uncovering their identities and stories through the lens of women’s history and gender studies, revitalising forgotten or overlooked female figures, and revising dominant historical accounts which centre prominent male photographers and photographic businesses.

The conference draws on the methodological approach of decolonial feminist studies, which acknowledges that individuals and social groups who have been (and continue to be) marginalised face the greatest difficulties and obstacles in bearing witness to their own exclusion. Recent contributions that merge gender history, labor history, and feminist critical theory provide an additional methodological framework. This dialogue has led to the rediscovery of previously overlooked forms of
women’s labor, both within and beyond the domestic sphere. Following feminist economic perspectives, we understand domestic labor as a central component of productive labor. As a result, the very concept of work has been broadened, shifting the focus to the diverse forms, modalities, and qualities of women’s labor.

To find out more, see the conference schedule and reserve a place please go to the direct link.